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Schierholtz having career year in platoon role

Schierholtz having career year in platoon role

8/23/13: Nate Schierholtz takes Edinson Volquez deep with a three-run blast over the right-field wall to give the Cubs a 4-0 lead

By Carrie Muskat
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MLB.com |

CHICAGO -- Nate Schierholtz finished the month of August with a team-high 19 RBIs for the Cubs, and leads the team this season with a .283 batting average with runners in scoring position.

Schierholtz has 20 home runs and 62 RBIs in 113 games this season. He's platooned in right, getting the majority of starts against right-handed pitchers and has been productive. This year, Schierholtz has set career highs in home runs, RBIs, doubles (26), and at-bats (383).

"He's obviously platooned and did a great job against right-handed pitching," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "It's what we expected and couldn't really ask for much more. A 20-home run season and about 65 RBIs, and the equivalent to that if he played every single day would be 30 [home runs] and almost 100 RBIs. That's a very productive season and he's done a great job both defensively and offensively."

Schierholtz and Anthony Rizzo have both reached the 20-home run mark, and they are the Cubs' first left-handed hitters to do so since Rick Monday (26 home runs) and Billy Williams (20) in 1973. Schierholtz and Rizzo also are the third left-handed-hitting duo in the Majors with 20 homers each, joining the Reds' Jay Bruce (26) and Joey Votto (20), and the Mariners' Raul Ibanez (25) and Kyle Seager (21).